Washington Capitals vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/12/24

Planning on watching today’s Capitals and Blue Jackets game? Catch the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, as the Blue Jackets hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Capitals are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan divisional contest against the Blue Jackets. The game’s over/under currently sits at 6.5 goals.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5

This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, December 12th.

WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:

• Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Blue Jackets to come out on top with a final score of 4-3.
• We like the Blue Jackets on the moneyline (+136)
• The Blue Jackets are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Will the Capitals Come Through as Road Favorites?

Following a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals now sit at 19-6-2 for the season. Washington was the underdog on the puck line, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.

The Capitals trailed 1-0 before Alex Ovechkin tied it up with 44 seconds left in the first period. They took the lead just 33 seconds later, but the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals to seal the win.

Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring for the Capitals with his 7th goal of the season, a power-play goal at 19:16 in the first period. Just 33 seconds later, Brandon Duhaime netted his 2nd goal of the season at 19:49. Nic Dowd picked up his 2nd assist of the year on Duhaime’s goal, while Dylan Strome recorded his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s power-play tally.

Washington managed 21 shots on goal but was held scoreless after the first period. The Capitals finished with 15 giveaways in the game.

Washington’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up three straight goals after leading 2-1 late in the first period. They allowed two goals in the second period and another in the third. Goalie Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage, but the defense also gave up an empty-net goal with just 9 seconds left in the game.

Can the Blue Jackets Secure a Win at Home?

Columbus dropped to 12-13-3 after a 7-2 loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled from the start, giving up their first goal just 56 seconds into the game and allowing five goals in the first period.

As underdogs on the puck line, Columbus failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for 9, surpassing that mark.

Columbus fired 36 shots on goal in their 7-2 loss to the Capitals but only found the net twice. Damon Severson scored his fourth goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his second. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second.

Labanc’s goal came with 5:24 left in the second period. Sean Monahan picked up his fifth assist on Labanc’s goal, and Zach Aston-Reese notched his second assist of the season. Columbus had 13 giveaways in the game.

Columbus’s defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period, including one just 56 seconds into the game. They allowed two more, one at 4:51 in the second period and another at 18:34 in the third. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves with a 68.2% save percentage. The Blue Jackets’ defense recorded 10 takeaways and 17 hits.